In setback to BJP in Karnataka, JD(S) pulls out of foot march over 'MUDA' scam

Bengaluru: JD(S) on Wednesday pulled out of the proposed foot march against the alleged irregularities in the distribution of sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), including to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife, as party leader H D Kumaraswamy hit out at the BJP.

The Union Minister said that his party was not taken into confidence on the foot march and lashed out at the BJP for allegedly picking a leader from Hassan district to be among those given responsibility to spearhead the protest.

Leaders of the opposition BJP had said that the party and JD(S) have decided to hold the foot march from Bengaluru to Mysuru from August 3 to 10 in protest against the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by MUDA, including to Chief Minister's wife Parvathi, and demanding his resignation.

Kumaraswamy also ruled out the JD(S) extending "moral support" to the BJP vis-a-vis the foot march.

"We will not give (moral support) for any reason", he told reporters in Delhi, adding that his party was not taken into confidence by the BJP despite the fact that areas, where the foot march was slated to pass through, are JD(S) strongholds. JD(S), headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, joined the BJP-led NDA last year. The two parties fought the recent Lok Sabha elections in the State together.

He contended that when people are facing several problems following heavy rains, with many becoming homeless and hundreds of villages marooned, it's not an "appropriate time" to hold such a foot march. "So, we have stepped back." "Now, we have to respond to people's pain. I don't know who would appreciate (the foot march in these circumstances)." He said he was hurt by BJP's move to pick former BJP MLA from Hassan Preetham Gowda to lead the protest, among others.

"Who is that Preetham Gowda ? Preetham Gowda ventured to finish off the family of Deve Gowda. They (BJP) call a meeting with him (Preetham Gowda to discuss preparations for the march) and ask me to sit next to him...the person who put poison to my family.. Who is responsible for distribution of pen-drives? There is a limit to my tolerance.

Are they seeking support for this ? Do they not know what happened in Hassan ? Who is responsible ?" a visibly angry Kumaraswamy asked.

He was referring to large-scale distribution of pen-drives, allegedly containing explicit videos involving his nephew Prajwal Revanna, ahead of the recent Lok Sabha elections in Hassan.